Mechanism for controlling the entrance to exhibition-grounds.



T. I. POTTER.

MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE ENTRANCE T0 EXHIBITION GROUNDS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1914.

1, 17 9,7 5 4. Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

wi Iwwoow COLUMBIA PuNoaRAPH (10., WASHINGTON, n. c

UNITED STATES PATET 0F ICE.

THOMAS IRVING POTTER, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR'TO COIN MACHINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, A CORPORATION OF OREGON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18,v 1916.

Application filed'May 6, 1914. ,*Serial No. 836,832.

To all whom it may concern -Be it. known that I, THOMAS IRVING Pormnn, acitizen ofthe United States, residing atyPortland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Controllingthe Entrance to Exhibition- Grounds; and I dohereby declare the fol- -lowing to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe'same, reference being had to the accompanying, drawings, forming part of ithisspecification, and to the figures and let- 'aters of reference, marked thereon.

The'present invention relates tov mechanism for regulating: and controlling; the ;:entrance and registration of persons toeX- hibition grounds, buildings,etc;,.where large numbers of persons must bepassed in a shortperiod' of, time and an accurate record made of the number and the proper entrance feecollected from each.

The object of the invention is toprovide a mechanical arrangement ofv a" series of --entrances.which-will permit of a maximum economy of space measured at right angles .to the line of entranceand which will prevent succeeding persons from, interfering -with -each other at the point where, the entrance fee 'is paid and registration accom- 'plished.

-A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanical arrangement whereby adults and minors or children may be passed through and registered in separate entrances, without danger of the children and their adult guardians or parents becoming "separated or lost from each other.

A further object of the invention-isto provide an arrangement of the register controlling device which is in the form ofa turnstile, in such wise that but one person can enter and pass through the same at one time, the following or succeeding person "being barred by the register controlling mechanism itself, until such time as the registration of the first person entering shall have been completed.

Theinvention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements-of parts all as will be hereinafter described and pointed outparticularly inthe appended'claims.

"The accompanyingdrawing is a diagram- --stiles arrangedin a row relatively close together andeach embodies a series, prefer- .ably 4t, substantially fan-shaped or segmental armswith their apices toward the I axis ofthe turnstile, thus providing recesses which will accommodate the body of one person-in passing through the entrance bridged by the arms of the turnstile. Between each of said recesses the segmental yor fan-shaped outer ends of the'arms form broad barriers which will bar the entrance of a succeeding person, while the; stile .(is

being turned during the passage of the preceding person past the same.

vThepassageways and openings leading to and from the turnstiles are formed by guard rails arranged at a properheight to direct thepersons entering through the turnstiles. Generally stated,the arrangement of rails-is such thatthe, assag'eways leading to and from each turnstile are out of alinement with .each other, although extending ,in a generally parallel direction and the openings from said passageways toandfrom the turnstile are-at substantiallyrightangles to each other, whereby; a person, entering through the entrance passageway moves at right ant glesfrom the-passageway into the turnstile and over into alinement with the eXit opening and passageway in'a continuous onward movement, this arrangement being particularly advantageous in that-by the change of direction of movement, crowding and 'interference ofpersons succeeding each other .stile recess, and the second is the convenience with which axperson approaching the turnstile for entrance maygdeal with the gate 'keeper'who is located, immediately beyond the end of theentrance passageway and is directly facedbythe person entering through said passageway.

Referring tothe drawing, it will berseen thateach entrance; passageway, such as 7,

'8 and 9, is defined byguard rails 5 and 5 and each exit passagewaysuch as 7 '8*,.;and

[to each other.

trance passageways there are located tables 9 is defined by guard rails 16 and 17, the

two passageways of each turnstile are offset or located out of line with each other, and

the turnstiles are located in the ofl'set so that the entrance and exit openings leading from the entrance passageways to the turnstile and from the turnstile to the exit passageways are at substantially right angles At the inner end of the enor counters 2, preferably forming guards "whichextend'from the guard rails 5 to the guardrails l7, and in or on each table or counter there is an opening or receptacle 3 for the receptionof the entrance fee or ticket; Connecting the guard rails forming the opposite sides of the passages from the tables or counters 2, there arecurved guard rail extensions 4 passing partly over the 20 I I persons entering through the turnstile from turnstiles, so as to effectually preventthe arated from each other, and at the same time providefor a greater number of entrances for adults than for children, an entrance for children or minors is arranged between two entrances for adults.

As'shown in the drawings, two entrances 7 and-'9 are provided for each set of three turnstiles, the guard rails 10 and 11 being located within the line of the guard rails '13 and 14.- and a supplemental guard rail 12 being provided to define the entrances 7 and 9 and form a passagewayS leading from the main entrances toward the intermediate entrance passageway 8, for children or minors. With this arrangement, children and their guardians entering through either entrance 7 or 9 will separate, the children turning off at right angles through the passageway 8 and entering through theentrance passageway'S, while the adults will enter through passageways 7 or 9, The guard rails are low enough to permit children to remain in sight of and close by their parents or guardians. The arrangement permits the turnstiles to be located close together, or with only sufiicient space between them for-the movement of the arms, and iniasmuch as the entrance and exit passage- "ways are all oflset mthe same direction, a

very considerable economy of space is efjfected.

In use, all persons entering through the ,entrance passageways approach the .gate keepers or attendants located behind. the

tables 2 in a forward direction with their backs to the persons following them. After the entrance fee transaction during which no one else can crowd in beside them, they move off laterally into and through :the turnstile and are in position to pass out through the exit assageways. 'Theturns'tile's being located in the offsets between the passageways will register the entrance of each person by a quarter turn and the arms which precede and follow the one barring the entrance do not obstruct either the entrance or exit passageways or opening, even though thereshould be considerable lost motion betwfen the successive movements of the turnsti es.

Having thus described my invention what i Y I claimas newand desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, "is; 1'. Inan entrance mechanism for exhibition grounds, et'c;, the combination with a 1 series ofturnstiles arrangedin a line, and guard rails forming passageways leading to and away from the turnstiles, said passageways being located out of alinement with each other and having entrance and exit opening 'to and from the turnstiles at substantially right angles to each other, whereby crowding and interference with each other by persons "passing through the turnstiles is prevented and a continuous on-- ward movement of the persons permitted and an attendants counter located across the inner end of the entrance passageway.

2. In an entrance mechanism'for exhibition grounds, etc., the combination with a series of turnstiles and guard rails forming entrance and exit passageways therefor, said passageways being arranged in substantial parallelism, but the entrance and exit ;pas-

sageways of each turnstile being offset with relation to each other and hav-. ing their-entrance and exit openings ad- "jacent the turnstilesrat substantially right angles toeach other, and an attcndants counter located across the inner end of the entrance passageway and directlyin front of the person entering through saidpassageway. I

3. In an entrance mechanism for exhibition grounds, etc., the combinationwith series of turnstiles arranged in sets of three, the center stile of each set being provided for minors and the end stiles of eachset for adults, of inner and outer rails formingfentrance openings for said turnstilesyanda guard rail intermediate and in alinement with the outer guard rails of the end turnstiles to prevent direct entrance tosaid center entrance.

4. In an'entrance mechanism for exhi-,

bition grounds, etc., the combination with a series of turnstiles arrangedin sets of three, the end turnstiles being provided for adults and the center turnstile for minors,jof guard rails forming exit and entrance passageways for said turnstiles, the rails forming the extreme sides of the end turnstile entrances extending beyond the other rails, and a guard rail located in front of the center entrance passage to prevent direct entry to said passage, said last mentioned rail being spaced from the center entrance and in line with the outer extremities of the extreme I side guard rails of the end entrances whereby 0 THOMAS IRVING POTTER.

I Witnesses:

E. V. REARDON,

M. C. GEIL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

